MODIFIED PROCARBAZINE, CCNU, AND VINCRISTINE (PCV-3) COMBINATION CHEMOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF MALIGNANT BRAIN-TUMORS

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 64  (2-3) , 237-241
Abstract
Patients (58) harboring recurrent malignant brain tumors were evaluated. CCNU [1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea] (110 mg/m2) was administered on Day 1, procarbazine (60 mg/m2) was administered daily for 14 days beginning on Day 8 and vincristine (1.4 mg/m2) was administered on Days 8 and 29 of each 6-wk cycle of therapy. Therapy was continued until tumor progression was documented. Before each course a neurologic examination was performed and radionuclide and computerized tomographic scans were obtained. Response and progression were defined as improvement or deterioration, respectively, in at least 2 of the 3 tests. Of the 46 patients harboring recurrent malignant gliomas, 12 (26%) responded to therapy, 18 (39%) had tumor progression and 16 (35%) had disease stability. Of the 46 patients, 19 were not previously treated with another form of chemotherapy; 8 (42%) responded to therapy, 8 (42%) had disease stability and 3 (16%) had early tumor progression. The median time to tumor progression was 26 wk for patients responding to therapy or having disease stability. Approximately 30% of the patients were alive with no evidence of tumor progression at 1 yr. Evaluated by time to tumor progression and rate of tumor response or stabilization, this combination was similar to the BCNU [1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea]5-fluorouracil combination used for patients harboring recurrent malignant glioma.